The present invention relates to the formation of an aluminum organoiodide.
Generally, most commercial aluminum organoiodides appear to be focused about alkylaluminum iodides.
The most widely used types of aluminum organoiodides appear to be the alkylaluminum iodides. Basically, these compounds are an aluminum iodide with one or more of the iodide atoms replaced by alkyl groups. The standard method of production is by the reaction of metallic aluminum with an alkyliodide. Numerous modifications of operating conditions and catalysts to promote the reaction are known. For example, a mixture of aluminum chloride and alkylaluminum iodide can be added initially to start the reaction. An alternate catalyst procedure is the use of about 2.5% by weight of bromine or iodine and a small amount of a primary alkylchloride.
Alkylaluminum iodides are used as polymerization catalysts, especially in the presence of a small amount of a pure trialkyl aluminum. The range of polymerization applications is quite extensive.
Another application is for hydrogenating an unsaturated organic compound with a minimum of hydrocracking by heating to 250.degree. to 400.degree. C with hydrogen and an alkylaluminum iodide catalyst, having a ratio of aluminum to iodide between 1 to 2.25 and 1 to 1.5. Other applications include use in a Friedel-Crafts reaction to increase the yield of polysubstituted products and for the preparation of alkylsilanes and iodosilanes by the reaction of silica with an alkylaluminum iodide.
The products produced by the present methods go beyond the known products and have, in addition to the aforementioned application, application in detergents, for a cosmetic base, for inclusion in a soap as a germicide, and for use as a surgical scrub. Both gram positive and gram negative germs are killed by the present product.